Apalis iMX8QM bricked after changing mmc partconf

Technical Support
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1

I have a custom yocto image with a custom install script that involves u-boot ums command to put the eMMC into USB mass storage mode, and writing imx-boot at offset 32k on the block device.

It seems like this wasn’t working, it was always running the old original u-boot out of the boot0 eMMC hardware partition. So I tried running mmc partconf 0 0 0 0 to see if that would cause it to run the u-boot out of the user partition.

Since I did that, it seems to be completely bricked. It does not boot any u-boot, I do not see any console output, and it does not go into serial download mode. I tried the recovery procedure of shorting the serial download mode pins on the Ixora carrier, but it still does not go into recovery mode, does not show up as USB HID device (which worked before, the micro-USB jumper is removed). It also will not boot off of a micro SD card. Is there any way to recover this SOM? They are apparently difficult to replace. I don’t think that changing the emmc partconf settings should prevent the SOM from going into serial download mode or from booting from other devices.

2

Changing an eMMC partition layout can make device unbootable but you should be able to load Easy Installer over USB OTG in recovery mode. Could you try to use different USB cables and/or another host machine?

3

I will try, but the same cable and host laptop was working fine immediately before changing partconf settings. Can you try running “mmc partconf 0 0 0 0” from u-boot and verify that you can still run recovery image (may permanently break SOM)?

4

OK I did it. After mmc partconf 0 0 0 0 module became unbootable. But I was still able to load Toradex Easy installer in recovery mode. However, flashing anew image using the installer did not make the module bootable. You need to restore original eMMC partition configuration mmc partconf 0 1 1 0.

5

On trying recovery mode it works now. Maybe I did not have my jumper (a pair of tweazers) set correctly before. I was able to restore partconf settings. Thanks!

6

Looks like recovery mode override was working after all, was able to recover mmc partconf settings.

7

Thank you for the update.